


Diligence and Downtime

by ExaltedBrand



Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening, Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: Bisexuality, Cunnilingus, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, Kissing, Porn With Plot, Stress Relief, Vaginal Fingering
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-26
Updated: 2020-08-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:35:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26124340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ExaltedBrand/pseuds/ExaltedBrand
Summary: As a long and gruelling campaign against Múspell approaches, Titania urges the dutiful Cordelia to take a moment's rest from her hard work.
Relationships: Tiamo | Cordelia/Tiamat | Titania
Comments: 4
Kudos: 16





	Diligence and Downtime

**Author's Note:**

> Pairing suggestion from GeneratedUsername

The Order of Heroes had a long march ahead. The Kingdom of Nifl, all but burned to cinders by the fires of Múspell, was nearing collapse, and King Surtr had already set his sights on Askr, launching skirmishes all across the border. If Nifl fell, as it was sure to do in just weeks without support, it would become the staging grounds for a full-on assault that Askr couldn’t possibly hope to repel. The only hope, Prince Alfonse believed, was to fight back within Nifl itself; to send the Order’s most capable heroes into the kingdom to support its beleaguered royalty and citizens. Only together, standing side by side in unity, did they have a chance against the flames.

Such campaigns were often long and taxing affairs. Askr’s soldiers—not just the legendary heroes in its service, but the common rank-and-file who worked day and night to protect the kingdom from lesser evils while providing crucial support to the heroes—could be away from their homes for months at a time. The resources to sustain an army throughout these wars had to be meticulously calculated, the equipment had to be inspected for any life-threatening damage, and multiple itinerates had to be planned to pre-empt any unexpected circumstances. The slightest mistake in logistical planning could be as fatal as a tactical error on the battlefield.

Everyone in the Order had a part to play in these last few days before their departure. For most of Askr’s forces, that meant passing the time with martial training or magical study. But someone—inevitably—had to see to it that the Order was well supplied for the war against Múspell, and that meant hours in the storerooms and offices, taking note of each and every item the Order had at their disposal while equally ensuring that Askr itself wasn't left vulnerable.

Cordelia, for one, didn’t mind. She was used to handling such administrative duties by herself: Frederick had once told her, quite earnestly, that her efforts in the storerooms had won just as many battles for the Shepherds as Robin’s directions on the frontlines. To her, it wasn’t anything so grand; it was simply part of her duty. Her superiors knew they could trust her for her diligence, and so they came to rely on her. It was a burden, yes, but one she was happy to bear. It was one of her ways of making sure everyone stayed alive.

What she was less used to was having someone to help her. Titania—a beautiful knight from the Greil Mercenaries of Tellius, and the logistical backbone, it seemed, of her own group—had stepped in to help from the day Prince Alfonse announced the Order’s intentions to travel to Nifl. While Cordelia had initially been taken aback by her offer, and had even insisted that she continue to handle things on her own, she quickly found herself grateful for Titania’s help: the proposed campaign was a colossal undertaking that made the Shepherds’ advance into Plegia look like a picnic, and the knight’s experience shone through in every suggestion she made. The past week had flown by remarkably quickly in her company—but there was still much more work to be done.

“Let’s see,” Titania said. “Totalling together rations, tents, spare equipment, extra linen, and first aid… all told, I’d put it at around six months’ worth of supplies. That should be enough to establish a strong position in Snjárhof that we can reinforce as necessary.”

Cordelia looked over the records of the Order’s resources, thinking for a moment. Titania’s estimation was sound in theory, but focused entirely on the maintenance of the position itself. There was a variable she’d overlooked.

“I’m not so sure,” she said. Titania glanced up at her from the papers covering the desk, raising an eyebrow. “Five months, I’d say. We’re well-stocked in most areas, but accounting for the difficult terrain and harsher climate, we’ll likely need to take more frequent stops along the road. Barring a stroke of good luck, the journey through Nifl towards Múspell will take a hit on supplies—and if we’re stationary for longer than expected, we’ll use up more rations.”

“That’s true.” Titania furrowed her brow. “I must admit, I’m unused to the terrain presenting such an obstacle. Tellius has its share of peaks and forests, but nothing so treacherous save for the desert east of Daein…”

“In my world, the entire nation of Plegia is a desert,” Cordelia said. “Trying to cross it in one piece taught me a lot about keeping an army’s supplies maintained… though I made plenty of mistakes, too. It was only because everyone fought so well that we didn’t lose… anyone else.”

Titania looked at her, eyes soft and sympathetic. Cordelia met her gaze for a moment, then felt strangely embarrassed and turned her attention back to the records.

“We can only do our best with what we what we have available to us,” Titania said. “I’m sure you made a difference.”

Cordelia shrugged, trying to smile. “I hope so.”

“Regarding this matter of travel, anyway… Well, we might be able to restock in settlements, but we’re running a tight budget. Princess Fjorm says one can always count on Niflese hospitality, but we’d do well not to impose more than necessary. We’re a professional unit, not scroungers—and it’s poor planning to rely on charity.”

“Mm,” Cordelia agreed.

Titania sighed, looking over the lists again.

“Well, this throws some of my ideas a little off… I suppose we’re considering a worst-case scenario, but better that than blind optimism.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say it’s that bad. We’ll just have to travel smartly—stick to the low road and minimise the risk of unfavourable weather. It’s better to be stuck in a snowstorm in a forest than a precarious mountain pass. We'd be easy pickings for wyvern knights. It’d take a little longer, but if we can minimise the amount of time we need to stop due to the challenges of the terrain, we might be able to conserve rations and keep supplies closer to your original estimate.”

“Can we afford the slower pace?” Titania asked. “The Niflese might not appreciate us taking the scenic route.”

“I thought the decision might need to be made, so I asked Kaze and Matthew to scout ahead,” Cordelia said, holding up one of the sheets. “They believe that Múspell’s forces on the border are still licking their wounds. That brother of Princess Fjorm’s must be quite something…”

Titania blinked at her. “You commissioned a scouting party all on your own initiative?”

“Of course. Is—is that a problem…?”

“Not at all,” Titania said, and her smile immediately sent a wave of relief through Cordelia. “On the contrary, I'm… quite amazed. You considered every possible problem in advance; even preemptively sent out scouts to consider the conditions we’d be travelling in. All I’ve been focused on is what we’d do when we _arrived_ …”

“Well, that’s important too…! I don’t really know the first thing about fortifying a position—besides a rough estimate of daily consumption. Keeping check of supplies while being on the move… that’s a pegasus knight’s speciality, really. It’s nothing special…”

While Titania didn’t look convinced, Cordelia took an odd sort of satisfaction in her approval. The two of them discussed the campaign at length, exchanging thoughts on its unique circumstances. It was nice, Cordelia thought, to talk with someone who took an army’s logistics as seriously as she did—especially someone as intelligent as Titania. She even felt a little more reassured that she hadn’t just been fussing over silly little details throughout her time in the Shepherds; that all these considerations were made for a reason, that they made a difference, that they really, truly mattered.

“I must say, Cordelia,” Titania said, smiling warmly, “it’s always a pleasure to talk with you. I’m used to handling the Greil Mercenaries’ supplies all on my own; I even thought myself fairly competent at it. But I can see there’s much to be gained from having someone else on hand. Your insights are invaluable.”

“I-it’s nothing, really…” Cordelia said, face flushing as red as her hair. “I’m just glad to have met someone as diligent as you. It really makes things easier. Most people just don’t take the time to think things through as thoroughly as you do.”

“Ha. Likewise, it’s a shame not everyone shares your sense of responsibility. Everyone thinks an army’s resources are infinite; that swords grow on trees and rations can be conjured from nothing.”

“Well, I can’t blame them. When you’ve got a battle ahead, all you can think about sometimes is whether you’ll come out of it alive or not. I think that’s the case for most soldiers. It's our job to worry for them.”

“I suppose,” Titania sighed. “But one could hope that they’d still want to keep their equipment in good condition. No point in winning a battle if you’ve nothing left to fight with after the fact.”

“That _is_ true…” Cordelia admitted, and her mind flashed to an image of Chrom surrounded by a heap of destroyed training dummies and practice weapons alike. “Sometimes, it can be a little challenging to account for your allies’… enthusiasm.”

“Exactly. And that’s why I’m glad you’re here. Someone like you is a godsend to someone like me.”

“Th-thank you,” Cordelia said, caught off guard by the strength of the compliment. Her blush, still present, deepened to a slightly darker shade than she was comfortable with.

“Thank _you_ , Cordelia,” Titania said, bowing where she sat. Something about her knightly grace was exceptionally charming—even if it was a little more Frederick than Chrom. “You’ve not only helped me manage this army’s resources, but you’ve taught me some lessons in the process. On behalf of the Greil Mercenaries, I’m actually quite grateful to you.”

Cordelia glanced away, no longer able to look Titania in the eye. She was used to people drowning her in all sorts of unwarranted flattery, but hearing it from this older, experienced knight felt… different. When someone with this much talent was praising her, it was hard not to feel a swell of pride.

There was another feeling, too; something tucked away just a little deeper in her chest. It came to the surface as admiration, but it was stronger than that. And over the week spent with Titania, it’d been more and more difficult to ignore it.

“it’s nothing, Lady Titania—really. We all do our bit.”

“I’d call it far more than a ‘bit’, but if you insist.” She hesitated, as if looking for the right words. “I hope you don’t mind me saying, but for as talented as you are, you seem to have a habit of downplaying your accomplishments.”

“I suppose I do,” Cordelia chuckled. “I strive to do my best, but… I always want to do even better. If I ever settle for ‘good enough’, I might just stagnate. And I can’t afford to do that.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that happening. You seem very dedicated to your duties.”

“I have to be. Too many people are relying on me to do my job well. I can’t let them down.”

Titania was giving her a strange look again, and Cordelia felt the heat return to her cheeks.

“That’s another thing,” Titania said. “You seem to be carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. I suppose that goes for the both of us, but… just remember, it’s not a bad thing to rely on others every once in the while. It can even be a joy… if you’re doing it with the right people.”

Something in Titania’s voice made Cordelia pause—a softer touch, almost a sly whisper.

Had she imagined it?

“I hope you know that you can count on me for anything, Cordelia. All you have to do is ask.”

“Thank you, Lady Titania,” Cordelia said, smiling. “You’re too kind. But I’ll be fine. My only concern is for the wellbeing of the entire army.”

Titania smiled back, almost resigned. “Then I suppose it’s a good thing we’ve still got a lot to do. Come on—there’s still the matter of the roster to consider. The summoner wants to prioritise heroes who won’t struggle in the cold conditions.”

“I think I drew up a list,” Cordelia murmured, more to herself. “I have it around here somewhere…”

“You really do consider everything, don’t you, Cordelia?”

* * *

By the time the two of them had finally finished taking stock of everything, the sky outside had turned a dusky purple. Cordelia stretched her arms over her head, feeling the satisfying pop of her spine. A yawn caught her by surprise, and her eyes began to droop. After everything they’d looked through, it was no wonder she felt so tired.

Still, the place had been left in quite a state. Papers were strewn all over the tables—rosters of heroes, item stocks, itineraries for the route through Snjárhof and towards the Nifl capital. She couldn’t leave without cleaning it up a little first.

Titania watched her as she started to collect the papers. “You’re still working hard, I see.”

“Someone has to. I mean, this place is a mess.”

“I suppose it is. But I’m talking about you. You’ve been straining yourself.”

“Oh, I’m fine. Just a little tired.”

Titania sighed, standing up.

“At least let me help you with this,” she said.

“No, no—it’s fine, Lady Titania.” Cordelia picked up a stack of papers in both her arms, then walked over to a closed cabinet. “I’ve got this.”

As she struggled to reach the cabinet door with both hands occupied, Titania stepped over and pulled it open for her.

“Do you remember what I told you just a few hours ago? It’s fine to ask for help.”

Cordelia smiled, nodding as she pushed the papers into the cabinet. “I understand. But—”

“I’m serious.” Titania set her hands on her hips, looking oddly stern. “If you work yourself to the bone, this army will lose a valuable asset. You’re smart, you’re dedicated, and you’re skilled. But you can’t do everything yourself.”

Cordelia gave a small, embarrassed chuckle. The compliments made her feel warm when they came from Titania, but she stood her ground. “I really am fine. I just need to finish this, then… then I’ll be heading to bed.”

“Cordelia… You’re not listening to me. I’d be a poor quartermaster if I let the superior quartermaster waste away from exhaustion. Come on; let’s get you some rest. We only have a few days left here, after all—if you don't at least let yourself enjoy some of it, you'll be regretting it when we're out in the wilds.”

“I really don’t want to be a bother, Lady Tita—”

Titania cut her off with a raised hand. “You’re the furthest thing from a bother to me, Cordelia. You know that. Now, come on; we’re going. I’ll finish tidying up here while you sleep. No-one else will be using the office besides us two as it is.”

Her stern expression had softened slightly, but Cordelia had the impression she wasn’t about to give up. She supposed Titania was doing her a kindness, and finally decided to relent.

“Very well. Thank you, Lady Titania.”

Titania smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, leading her out of the office. “It’s the last I can do. You’ve been doing so much for all of us.”

Cordelia yawned again, and the knight laughed. “Come on, sleepyhead. This way.”

She didn’t argue any further, instead allowing Titania to lead her through the castle halls. There was something nice about having her so close like this. Cordelia hadn’t paid it much thought before, but she smelt so fresh. It was invigorating, and she found herself smiling as she walked. Titania was quiet the whole time, but it didn’t bother her. She felt comfortable in her presence. More comfortable than she’d felt around anyone else in the Order.

Soon, the two of them arrived at Cordelia’s room. Titania brought her inside, leading her to the double bed.

“Sit down,” she said. “I’ll help you get changed.”

Even when she was exhausted, Cordelia caught the touch of suggestion in Titania’s voice. Or maybe it was precisely because she was exhausted that she allowed herself to recognise it; to not overthink it, or dismiss it as simple friendliness.

So, she _hadn’t_ been imagining it.

From the moment she perched herself on the edge of the bed, Titania was kneeling before her, hands unbuckling the straps around her thigh-high boots.

“You’ve been working so hard,” Titania said. “Just let me take care of it.”

There was no mistaking the glint in her eye. No mistaking the devotion with which she worked on Cordelia’s clothing, slipping the boots off and setting them aside.

“L-Lady Titania…”

"Hm?"

Titania immediately stopped what she was doing, resting her hands on Cordelia's knees, and looked up at her. She gave Cordelia her full attention, watching her patiently and gauging her reaction for any signs of discomfort.

“…It’s nothing. Please, continue.”

Titania smiled, satisfied, then moved her hands up Cordelia’s legs, tugging at the fabric of her tights. Her fingers brushed against Cordelia’s skin as she pulled them off, and the pegasus knight shuddered slightly in response. Titania’s hands moved to her thighs as she drew the tights off fully, then set about unfastening the belt around her dress.

“These Ylissian designs are quite something,” she murmured. “So extravagant… but I daresay a little impractical.”

The belt came loose, and Titania slipped it out of its loops. Her hands moved to the bottom of Cordelia’s dress, who took in a sharp breath as Titania lifted it up and over her head. She felt even colder in the draft of the room now that she was only wearing her underwear, but Titania didn’t give her any time to dwell on it. She set about undoing the bra, and Cordelia raised her arms as Titania peeled it off her. Her panties were stripped off next, and soon she was bare in front of Titania.

Titania smiled up at her again—this time, with a look of silent admiration. In any other situation, Cordelia might have felt the instinct to cover herself up. But for some reason, she didn’t feel embarrassed around this woman.

Then, before she could react, Titania leaned forward and pressed her lips against Cordelia’s. Cordelia let out a soft moan, and Titania’s arms wrapped around her as she deepened the kiss.

Her first kiss.

Despite everything—the suddenness of it, the strangeness of being this intimate with a woman she’d only known for a week—she closed her eyes and kissed back. Titania’s lips were softer than any silk she’d ever touched, and warmer than any fire Múspell could conjure up. She held Cordelia’s head in her hands as she pressed against her, and it was all Cordelia could do to wrap her arms around her and hold on for dear life.

She’d never felt like this before. She was light-headed; almost dizzy. Was this what they called a rush?

Titania finally pulled away, and Cordelia stared at her, her mind racing a mile a minute.

“T-Titania…?”

The knight smiled. “Yes, Cordelia?”

“I… I’ve never felt like this before,” she managed.

“Neither have I,” Titania admitted. “Well, there was one time… but those days are a distant memory. It would’ve been wrong to act on those feelings.”

She paused, then her expression turned more serious.

“Cordelia—I carry immense respect for you. Your intelligence, your insight, your diligence… even something as simple as your love for your army. These past few days, I’ve found myself chasing after your example. It's been... dizzying. But if this is making you uncomfortable in any way, please—”

“No,” Cordelia said, perhaps a little too loudly. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then opened them again. “I’ve been feeling quite strange for a while now. If it's not too much to ask, Titania... would you be willing to help me?”

It was all Titania needed to hear. “It would be my pleasure.”

She leaned forward again, moving in for a second kiss. Cordelia closed her eyes and lost herself in the moment—and when she opened them again, she was lying in bed beneath Titania. Her hair, still so neatly braided, fell loose onto Cordelia’s exposed shoulders. She was still wearing her red overcoat and her shirt, her dark pants and her boots.

“You’re overdressed,” Cordelia whispered.

Titania smiled, then pulled away. She sat up, slipping out of her overcoat, and Cordelia couldn’t help but stare at her figure.

She wasn’t Chrom. That part, for some reason, was taking Cordelia a little while longer to process. Now that this was happening, her first time wouldn’t ever be with Chrom.

But that was an unrealistic fantasy—she’d always known that, deep down. The pining of a desperate romantic. Someday, she’d return to her world; have her chances with him again, if someone else didn't get there first. But until then, having this older woman to guide her for the first time—to show her how not to embarrass herself with Chrom—didn’t seem like such a bad arrangement…

Titania tugged off her boots, then her shirt. Her pants followed, and soon she was wearing nothing but a black bra and panties.

Cordelia gazed at her in awe. Titania was older than her, yes, but not so much older that she was out of her age range. She stretched, long and lean, and Cordelia saw her well-toned chest, her muscled arms…

“Like what you see?” Titania asked.

Cordelia blushed, then nodded. “Yes…”

Titania grinned, reaching behind her back to unclasp her bra. She pulled it off, tossing it aside, then slowly pulled down her panties. Cordelia couldn’t help but blush an even deeper shade, averting her eyes, and Titania giggled softly.

“Cordelia, you can look,” she said.

Cordelia took a deep breath, then marveled at her naked body—at her smooth skin, her perky breasts, her slim waist and slender legs. She was perfect.

“Now then,” she said, leaning closer to Cordelia,” let’s get started.”

Titania didn’t waste any time. Her breasts pressed against Cordelia’s as she moved in for another kiss, while her hands moved along her body, teasing out shudders from Cordelia. Then she broke the kiss and moved down—first along her neck, then down her collarbone towards her chest. She held still for a moment, looking up.

“May I?” she asked.

Cordelia nodded, and Titania gently began sucking on her nipples, flicking her tongue over them and moving from one to the other. By the time she was done, Cordelia could barely think straight. Titania continued to work her way down, kissing along Cordelia’s stomach and belly as she went. Once again, she stopped and glanced up, waiting for approval.

“Keep going…” Cordelia panted.

Titania gently parted Cordelia’s legs, and soon her head was right there. She paused, her breath tantalizingly close, and met Cordelia's gaze one last time.

“Titania… Please…”

The knight smiled. “As you wish.”

She gently started licking Cordelia’s clit, working in slow, methodical circles. The sensation was completely new to Cordelia, and she struggled to control her gasps.

“O-oh… my…” Cordelia moaned.

Titania slid a finger inside her, and the sensation grew even more intense. It felt so much better than Cordelia’s own fingers. So much better than anything she’d ever done to herself before. It was all so much to process that she couldn’t even speak. She couldn’t do anything but moan as Titania brought her to climax.

Titania crawled back up her body, kissing her deeply, and Cordelia could taste something strange on her lips.

“Was it good?” Titania asked.

Cordelia nodded, too drained to speak.

“You must be so tired, Cordelia. I can feel how stressed you are. As our finest quartermaster, it won’t do to have you so exhausted you can barely function. Lie back and relax. I’ll take care of everything.”

Cordelia did exactly that, and Titania smiled.

“Just close your eyes, darling. Let me take care of you.”

Cordelia could have fallen asleep right there—but she wasn’t feeling so tired anymore. She was physically exhausted, yes… but mentally, she hadn’t been this awake in years.

Titania’s fingers entered her. She moved slowly, stroking the inside of her walls in just the right way. She wasn’t rushing; it was a massage, not a race. She wanted Cordelia to relax, to feel good. She added another finger, and Cordelia bit her lip, squirming; and then another, increasing the pleasure but not the speed. She didn’t forget her purpose. She was going to help Cordelia enjoy herself. It was her job—another job, as vital to the Order’s operations as their preparations for the campaign—and she approached it with the utmost seriousness.

“O-ohh…” Cordelia moaned. “I… I can’t…”

“Shh, darling,” Titania whispered. “Just let it out. I’ve got you.”

Even when she was moving as calmly as this, the situation was too much for Cordelia to handle. With just a few more thrusts, she came hard a second time, pressing her hips into Titania’s hand. Titania smiled, gently removing her fingers, and Cordelia lay there panting, trying and failing to regain her strength. She felt as if she could close her eyes and sleep for a week.

“That was… amazing,” she managed.

“Of course it was,” Titania said. “I can hardly afford to skimp on effort when your performance is at stake, Cordelia.”

“It’s strange. I can’t move a muscle, but I feel so… refreshed.”

Titania giggled. “You certainly look it.”

She laid down beside Cordelia, sinking into the other pillow.

“I will say, though…” Cordelia said, flashing a mischievous smile, “if that’s the sort of help you had in mind, you’ve only given me more incentive to run myself ragged.”

“Well, now—if I dampened your work ethic, our entire army might suffer. I can tell it’s a fool’s errand to drag you away from it all.”

She rolled onto her side, staring into Cordelia’s eyes.

“I suppose I’ll just have to do my best to keep up… and help you relax whenever you get a little too excited.”

Cordelia smiled back, snuggling into her. It was always nice to be rewarded for hard work.

**Author's Note:**

> If the way I'm writing them is anything to go by, Severa and Cordelia have a family tradition of going from 0 to 100 real fast with like-minded women they've only just met.
> 
> As usual, feel free to drop suggestions for F/F FE rarepairs or crackships down below.


End file.
